Sewing machine needle guard



Feb. 13, 1951 w, SAMPSON 2,541,549

SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE GUARD Filed May 2, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

BY f I mmm Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE GUARD I Earl W. Sampson, Boston, Mass.

Application May 2, 1949, Serial No. 90,857

8 Claims. 1 This invention relates to a sewing machine needle guard.

The principal object of my invention is to provide such a needle guard that can be instantly moved from closed or guard position to open position by one simple movement and very easily.

moved from open to closed position and fastened thereat.

Another object is to make the operation from closed to open position, and vice versa, so easy and convenient that an operator of the sewing machine it is attached to will be inclined to move the guard to closed position because the effort required to change its position is so slight, thus providing protection from accident.

Another object is to make the parts of my guard so simple that they can be manufactured economically and assembled at low cost.

. The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawings and specification. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and, therefore, I am not to be limited to said disclosure; but am'entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims. In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a right side elevational view of my needle guard in closed position, mounted on the presser bar of a sewing machine, the latter being shown broken away. Figure 2 is a left side view otherwise similar to Figure 1. Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the; line 3-3 of Figure '1, the dash lines showing the guard wings and their controlling lever in open position. Figure 4 is a perspective view of my needle guard with the guard wings (shown broken away) in open position, and with the presser bar and presser foot shown broken away.

Figure'5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3, the guard wing being shown broken away.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

As illustrated my needle guard is attached by a screw II] to a presser bar l2 having a presser foot l4 extending below it and forwardly thereof, which is also held by said screw in to said presser bar. A sewing machine It, shown broken away, is associated with said presser bar I2 in the usual way, and has the usual spindle 11 mounted thereon which holds a needle N which my guard protects.

which said screw l0 extends and through said presser foot M to screw-threadedly connect with said presser bar I2 to thereby hold theguard' to said presser bar. The front portion of said mounting 18 has a concave portion 23 to receive the presser bar I! which is circular in cross section.

There is a recess 24 in each side of said mounting I8 and also a hole 28 extending laterally through said mounting 18 to accommodate a shaft pin 55 later described.

I provide two guard wings 30 which preferably are perforated for passage of light and are turned in as at 3| at their lower rear portions to avoid any possibility of catching the cloth being stitched. Each said guard wing 38 has two hinge portions 33 spaced apart, each pair of said por-.

tions extending into a said recess 24 with acoil spring 38 between them. There is a hinge. pin 35 for each pair extending from and through the top of said mounting I8, 3, said recess 24, said hinge portions 33, said spring 38 and through to the bottom of said mounting where it isheaded over. Thus hinge mechanism is provided for. said guard wings 30 in moving from open to closed position, and vice versa. In each instance one end of said coil spring 38 bears against said mounting 18 as at 40 and the other end against a said guard wing 30 as at 42 so that said spring 38 is under tension when a said guard wing 30 is in closed or guard position as shown in said Figures 1, 2 and 3. Thus a guard wing 30 must automatically move to open as normal position, as shown in said Figure 4.

" To fasten said guard wings 30 in closed or guarding position I provide fastening mechanism including a pivoted fastening lever 45 having a guard wing fastener latch 46 extendingoutwardly from the other portion of said lever, which, in fastening position, bears against a rear part of one said guard wing 30 to keep the latter closed. Said lever 45 also has a finger control portion 48 by which it is more easily moved from open to closed position and vice versa. This finger 48 has a recess 49 extending inwardlyfrom its inner surface to receive a retainer pin 59 later described. Said finger bears against a shoulder 50 formed in the upper part of said mounting at one side rearwardly from the front to thereby provide a stop to prevent said lever 45 from moving beyond the fastening position as shown at one end to said lever 45 and to said fastening arm 53 at the other side, consequently movement of said lever finger 48 moves both said lever fastening latch 46 and said fastening arm 53'from open to closed position against the outer surfaces of said guard wings 39 which are so held until said lever is released.

A screw 51 extends laterally into the upper 4 in said closed position, locking mechanism mounted on said mounting embodying a member extending into one side of said mounting, a retainer extending into the other side thereof embodying a portion normally extending outwardly beyond said mounting, and a spring between said latter member and retainer and normally bearing against said retainer to normally keep said retainer extending portion beyond said mounting, so positioned with relation to said retainer extending portion that when said lever is moved to closed position said retainer extending portion contacts said lever and holds it in closed position.

3. A needle guard comprising a mounting having recesses therein at opposite sides thereof, two guard wings embodying hinge portions extendin into said recesses, pins extending through rear portion of said mounting l8, and in a hole I beyond it is a coil spring 58 and beyond that is a'retainer as having a in 60 at its. outside end normally: extending'slightly beyond it ,on; the side thereof adjacent said lever 45. Said lever finger 48 in moving to closed position encounters said retainer pin 63 and forces it inwardly against said spring 58 toperrnit a portion, of said; finger to slide. by until said. pin is opposite to and enters said recess; 49. in said, finger 48. Thus a locking engagement is. effected that. keeps said lever 45 and guard wings in closed position. To unlock said lever sufiicient pressure is applied to said finger 48' to force. said retainer, pin 65) inwardly and said fastening latch 46, and fastening arm 53 are drawn away; fromsaid guardwings 30. Then the constriction of saidcoil springs 38, when-in closed position, takesefifect to cause said guard I wings 3B:to.automatically move to open position.

f What I'claim, isz

'. I. A needle guard comprising a mounting, two guard wings, means movably attaching a said guard wing, to one .side of said mounting and means movably attaching the, other said, guard wing toran opposite side Ofsald mounting, and fastening mechanism movably mounted; to; said mounting embodying a fastening arm at one side of said mounting and. a lever having a fastening latch at the other side ofsaid mounting means operatively connecting said. lever and fastening arm, said fastening arm and fastening latch being so positioned that movement of said lever to closed position moves said arm and latch against said guard wings and thereby holds them in closed position, and locking mechanism supported by said mounting embodying a retaining member extending outside said mounting and a spring beating against said retaining member adapted to yieldupon pressure applied to it, said retaining member being in the path of'mo'venient of said lever from open toclosed position whereby it'contacts and locks said lever in closed position.

2, A needle guard comprising a mounting hav i'rig recesses therein at opposite sides thereof, two guard wings embodying hinge portions extending into said recesses, pins extending through said mounting, wing" hinge portions, and recesses hingedly holding said guard wings to saidmounting a fastening lever 'movably mounted on said mounting embodying a fastening latch at one side of said mounting, a fastening arm 'movably mounted on the opposite side or said mounting, a pinfixed to said fastening arm' and to said'lev'er and rotatably extending through said mounting, said: arm and latch being so positioned that they are adapted to contact said guard wings'when' 'moved to closed-position to thereby holdthelatter said mounting, wing hinge portions, and recesses hingedly holding said guard wings to said mounting, a fastening lever movably mounted on said mounting embodying a fastening latch at: one side of said mounting, a fastening armat; the opposite side of said mounting, a pin. fixed to said fastening arm and said lever and r0:- tatably' extending through said: mounting, said arm and: latch being so positioned that; they are adapted to contact said guard wings when moved to closed position to thereby hold the latter. tin said closed position, said mounting having, a stop shoulder and another stop shoulder spaced from the: first-mentioned stop shoulder both shouldersbeing so positioned-that when said lever. moves to fastening position it encounters. one said stop shoulder and when it moves to open position it encounters the other said stopis'houis. der.

4. A needleguard comprising a mounting' haw ing recesses therein at opposite sides thereof, two guard wings embodying hinge portions extending into said recesses, springs in said recesses bears ing against said mounting and wings, pins tending through said mounting, wing hinge porktions, springs and recessesto hingedly hold. said guard Wings to said mounting, a fastening lever movably mounted on said mounting embodying a-fastening latch at one side of said'mou'nti'n'g; a fastening; arm at the opposite side (if-"said mounting, a pin fixed to-said fastening arm ari d said lever and rotatably extending through said mounting, said arm and latch being so positioned that they are adapted to contact the outer surfaces of said guard'wings when moved to closed position to thereby hold the latter in said closed position, locking mechanism mounted on said mounting embodying a screw extending into-oneside of said mounting, a retainer extending into the other side thereof embodying a pin normally extendin outwardly beyond said mounting, and a coil spring between said screw and retainer and normally bearing against said retainer tii normally keep, said retainerpinbeyond said" mounting, said lever having a recess therein' =-at the inner surface thereof so positioned withre lation to said retainer pin that when said levefi's moved partly to closed position saidretainei pin enters said groove. 5. A needle guard comprising a mounting having recesses therein at opposite-sides thereof; two guard wings embodying hinge portions'extending into said recesses, springs in said recesses'bear' ing against said mounting and wings, pins tending through said mounting, wing hingepor' tions, springs and recesses to hingedly hold said guard wings to said mounting, a fastening -lev' er movably mounted on said mounting eml i'odyifig'c a fastening latch at one side of said mounting, a fastening arm at the opposite side of said mounting, a pin fixed to said fastening arm and said lever and rotatably extending through said mounting, said arm and latch being so positioned that they are adapted to contact the outer surfaces of said guard wings when moved to closed position to thereby hold the latter in said closed position, locking mechanism mounted on said mounting embodying a screw extending into one side of said mounting, a retainer extending into the other side thereof embodying a pin normally extending outwardly beyond said mounting, and a coil spring between said screw and retainer and normally bearing against said retainer to normally keep said retainer pin beyond said mounting, said lever havin a recess therein at the inner surface thereof so positioned with relation to said retainer pin that when said lever is moved partly to closed position said retainer pin enters said recess, said mounting having a stop shoulder in the upper portion thereof and another stop shoulder in the lower portion thereof on the side with said lever and so positioned that when said lever moves to fastening position it encounters the upper said stop shoulder and when it moves to open position it encounters the lower said stop shoulder.

6. A needle guard comprisinga mounting, two guard wings, means movably attaching a said guard wing to one side of said mounting and means movably attaching the other said guard wing to an opposite side of said mounting, two fastening members movably mounted on said mounting at opposite sides thereof, movable means connectin said fastening members in movable relationship to said wings, a lever attached to one said fastening member and extending beyond said mounting in both closed and open positions and adapted upon actuation to cause said fastening members to move said guard wings to closed position, and springs mounted on said mounting between and bearing against said mounting and said guard wings nor- 6 mally forcing said guard wings to open position.

'7. A needle guard comprisin a mounting, a guard wing, means movably attaching said guard wing to said mounting, a fastening member movably attached to said mounting, a lever attached to said fastening member and adapted upon actuation to move said fastening member and said guard wing to closed position, said lever extending beyond said mounting in open and in closed position, a retainer member and a spring mounted in said mounting, said spring normally pressing said retainer member o that it extends outside said mounting in a position whereby said lever upon actuation to closed position contacts said retainer member and is retained thereby in closed position.

8. A needle guard comprising a mounting, two uard wings spaced apart, means movably attaching a said guard wing to one side of said mounting and means movably attaching the other said guard wing to an opposite side of said mounting, and fastening mechanism movably mounted on said mounting embodying two fastening members, movable means connecting said fastening members in movable relationship to said wings and embodying a lever attached to one said fastening member and extending beyond REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 860,213 Hiltmann July 16, 1907 936,509

Anderson Oct. 12, 1909 

